Lagavulin 15 – Lagavulin 200th...

Lagavulin Celebrates 200 Years of Tradition in Singapore

Not many whiskies that can call themselves a bicentennial brand. Yet instead of a huge elaborate party attended by hundreds of whisky enthusiasts, the Lagavulin 200th Anniversary was celebrated by way of a tasting party with a small, privileged and select group of 30 whisky lovers and collectors who gathered in high spirits at The Auld Alliance in Singapore.

Lagavulin 15 Years Special 200th Anniversary Bottling unveiled at the Auld Alliance in Singapore

The name Lagavulin is an anglicisation of the Gaelic “lag a’mhuilin” – which means “hollow by the mill”. Born out of the island of Islay in Scotland, Lagavulinis a brand which dates back to 1816, and is well known for its slow distillation speeds and pear shaped pot stills production methods. Each of the two wash stills have a capacity of 11,000 litres, and the two spirit stills hold up to 12,500 litres each.

Lagavulin 200th Anniversary Celebrations in Singapore

The Auld Alliance in Singapore, believed to have the largest whisky collection in the whole of Southeast Asia, recently played host to the Lagavulin 200th Anniversary celebrations in Singapore. Upon arriving, guests were promptly welcomed with a dram of the Lagavulin 16 – the winner of four consecutive double gold medals between 2005 and 2008 in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Celebrations begun with a Tasting Party that started off with a short introduction of the history of Lagavulin. Following which, guests were then presented with their next dram – the Lagavulin 8 Years, and the Lagavulin 25 Years which was paired with a homemade bottle-shaped Scottish Shortbread.

Moments after, guests bore witness to the worldwide exclusive launch of the Lagavulin 15 Years Old.

The unveiling of the Lagavulin 15 Years – a 200th Anniversary Private Collector’s Edition. (Photo Credits – The Auld Alliance)

COVERED:Could you tell us why you selected Lagavulin as your choice for this private bottling, and perhaps share with us about your journey with the brand prior to this?

MIKE : I’ve been a bit of a “peat head” since I was in my late teens. I started big with Laphroaig and Ardbeg, but as I matured, gravitated toward Lagavulin for a gentler, but equally complex Islay whisky.

COVERED:Was there anything in particular you were looking for when you were tasting for the Lagavulin limited collection?

MIKE : I was looking for a cask at the absolute peak of its powers naked. One that no amount of water, filtration, vatting or other process could improve. I believe I found it.

COVERED:When you finally found the Lagavulin 15 years, what went through your mind when you were finally bottling it? Was there any significance of this bottle?

MIKE :Many months transpired between the date of purchase and the date of bottling, so I was mainly just excited to finally see the liquid in a bottle. Being able to assign my daughter’s birthday as the bottling date was definitely a nice touch.

COVERED:What really stood out for you in each of the expressions for the 200th Anniversary releases? Is there there’s any other particular expression that you have grown to like throughout the 200 years of Lagavulin history?

MIKE : In addition to our cask, I’m also a fan of the Lagavulin 200th Anniversary 8 Year bottling. I like the honesty of the 8 year age statement on the label, and I like the light freshness of the whisky both visually and on the palate. The 48% ABV is nice too, and the below $100 price tag is very friendly.

The 200th Anniversary Edition of the Lagavulin 8 Years (Photo Source: www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk/whiskyshop/lagavulin-8-year-old/prod_4277.html)

Director and Lifestyle Editor

A SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR WITH 10 YEARS OF START-UP EXPERIENCE ACROSS VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, JOHANNES CHRISTIAN SEE HAS BEEN INFLUENTIAL PERSONALITY WITHIN THE LOCAL MEDIA SCENE. JOHANNES IS A FOUNDING DIRECTOR & LIFESTYLE EDITOR FOR COVERED ASIA, AND IS ALSO THE CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR OF COM3 MARKETING & EVENTS CONSULTANCY.